Railroad-gate



(No Model.)

J. O. MCCUTCHAN.

RAILROAD GATE.

Patented Deo. 12. 1882.

y NLA UNITED STATES PATENT OFEicE. 'l

JUDSON O. MGCUTCHAN, OF MIDDLEBROOK, VIRGINIA.

RAILROAmGATE.

VSPIElI7I}. `ICAClZION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,084, dated December l2, 1882.

Application fil'ed J'uly 27, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JUDsoN O. MoGU'rcHAN, of Middlebrook, in the county ot' Augusta, and in the State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Gates; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in gates for railroads,'and Ahas for its object to provide a gate which shall be automatically opened by the locomotive or car and automatically closed by suitable means, the gate being designed to be employed principally where the track runs through fencedin land.

The above-mentioned object I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 represents an elevation ot' my improved gate and a cross-section of the track. Fig. 2 represents a section through the line .c m of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a. section on the line y g/ of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a side elevation of one of the guards or fenders, and Fig. 5 a detail perspective view of the operating-lever and lockingbolt.

The letter A indicates the railroad-tie upon which my improved gate is supported. The said tie is provided with open boxes or bearings B, in which are journaled the rounded portions C of arectangular rail, D, forming the lower part ofthe gate. The said rail is provided with a series ot pickets, E, within the rails and at each side ot' the same, and the pickets ofeach section are connected by barbed fence-wires F, as indicated inFig. l. Midway between the ends of the rail D .is a lever, G, which is tted loosely on a wire, H, and

has attached to it a bolt, I, which is adapted to enter the socket I' in a block, K, secured to the tie. The lever G and bolt I are rigidly attached together, andthe apertures in the rail D and plate N are slightlylarger than the bolt, so as to allow ofa slight lateral movement of said bolt, which is occasioned by the oscillation of the lever Gr on one edgel ofthe plate N when the said lever is first struck by the passing train. l The said block K is providedwith a curved guide-surface,L, to guide the bolt as the gate is moved in either direction. The lever has slots M, and is adapted to work upon a longitudinally-curved cam-plate, N, in such manner as to elevate the bolt and unlock the gate when the lever is moved by a pilot on the forward end of the locomotive or rear ot' the train, and permit the gate to be opened. For example, let it be supposed that a train is moving along the track, as seen inFig. 2 of the drawings, in a direction toward the right. When the upper portion of the lever Gis given an oscillation in the direction ot' the dotted lines the extremity of the slot therein opposite to the side from which the train is coming bears down upon the correspondinglside of the curved plate N, which acts as a fnlcrurn, and the elongated hole in the lever permitting it to play vertically on the rod H, the bolt I is thereby raised out of its seat l', the gate unlocked, and the continued pressure on the said lever causes it to assume a horizontal or approximately horizontal line until the train has passed over, when it resumes its vertical position, andthe gravity of the lever and bolt `causes the latter to descend into its seat and again lock the gate.

The letter l? indicates two guards or fenders-one at each side of the lever. The said guards gradually widen toward their center portions, and then contract toward their tops,

as indicated, so as to form a protection to the barbed Wire, and form a means whereby the gate may be thrown down by the pilot.

To the'end pickets are secured the Weights R, which serve to return the gate to a normal position after the train has passed. These weights are arranged to hang in suitable pits at the sidesof the track, as indicated in Fig. l of the drawings.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The pilot of an approaching train strikes the lever, unlocking the bolt. It then strikes the fenders and' turns the gate upon itsjournals `until it is parallel, or nearly so, with the ground, whenthe train will pass over the gate. When passed the weights will return the gate to normal position.

By constructing the part C ot" the lower rail IOO of the gate oblong in cross-section and arrangingthe rails so as to spring, the Weight of the train pressing upon the rails will hold the gate down while the train is passing, and will permit the gate to assume its normal position after the train has passed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. The combination, in a railroad-gate, of a horizontal oscillating rail having counter-balance-weights, with the vertical pickets attached thereto, and provided with barbs, as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination With the horizontal rail journaled in suitable bearings, the operatinglever, and curved plate, tbe lock-bolt and the socketed guide-block, all arranged to operate substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a railroadgate, of the horizontal oscillating rail, the pickets and fenders, the barbed wires, the bolt and operating-lever and plate, the socketed guide-block, and the weights, all arranged to operate substantialy in the manner specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 3d day of July, 1882.

JUDSON O. MCCUICHAN. 

